Holder device for end-capped electrical discharge tubes provided with starter switches



A ril 8, 1952 G. HOLM 2,592,142

HOLDER DEVICE FOR END-CAPPED ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE TUBES PROVIDED WITH STARTER SWITCHES Filed Feb. 2, 1948 v INVENTOR. ERIK GUNNAR HOLM from FIG.3

Patented Apr. 8, 1952 PAT HOLDER "DEVICElFOR END-CAPPED".ELEC.-=

TRICALLDISCHARGE TUBES PROVIDED WITH STARTER, SWITCHES.

Erik 'Gunnar: Helm; Hagalund Sweden, assignor. to' 'Luma'lampan Aktiebolag, Stockholm, Sweden a corporation of Sweden Application February. 2, 1948,-Serial No. 5,804 r In Sweden August 24, 1946i 1 Section 1, Public Law 690;?August 8, 1946' Patent expires August 24111966 3 Claims. (Cl. 173- 328) Thisrinventmn rela-tes;toffittings orholders-ior fiu'orescentitubesiandstarter switches: and more particularly" to'such a .fitting; comprising a plurality*oi'separableparts which may. beselectively and variably assembledein accordance with the requirements of several types of such electricalfixtures: V

In one=f0rm'ofi-electrical. fixture of the character i :with iwhich...we are; hereficoncerned, the

fluorescent :.-tube 1 sockets. and: ballast impedance forthetubeare' generally placed beneath a re.-

flector: designed, to ...conceal.:the. ballast xand elece tricalwiring. In such: fixtures:thielstarteri switch is usually located behind .the reflector, .in-a laterallydisposed'.projection orpportion'of one of thetudinal axis of"the..fluorescent..tube; thereby obviating the manufacturing expensezincident to I the laterally projecting sta'rtersswitch: holder of the aforementioned type. of device. 2"

In' a stilhfurther type :ofilxture, the fluorescent tubes: sockets s-areucmanufactured: :zwithout; :any

holderiforxa starter switch; the switch-being located independently.of'thextube holders; or. other starting:.=means.;being' provided; It :will thus be obviousltha't:heretoforeit :has 2106811, necessary to provide a 1 variety ofxrtypes ofuflu'orescent itube...

holders to L accommodate 1. different mounting. re:

quirementsn Inxaddition; :the ;varying: .forms of.

tube holders resulted in; structural differences in the associated parts 'of .:the .electrical device;

Accordingly; it .is :.a major object :of the :pres-:

ent. invention. to provideza novel holder .of stand-;

ardized: .iorm for. fluorescent tubes; and starter switchesso thateach otthe several typeszof elec-.-

tricaLfixtures .adiscussed hereaboive' mayi be" con: veniently accommodated;

Briefly stated, .theinventicn comprises :a socket r for. e a fluorescent. tube,- an' .adapter 1 for. mounts? ing'said s'ocketzin .thezelectrical ifixture or device, and a homer: for a starter switch, theiadapter-ui and starter switch holder being manufaotured; with 'substantially identical zexterior. conformattion or dimensions. Thus, if..it .is desired" to Z'aSE-E semblea fixture with thestarterFsWitch mounted perpendicularly with respect-to the longitudinal. axis of the fluorescent'tube; the tube holder-.is:-.. mounted upon an adapter, the upper surface ofthe adapter and the lower surface. of the .base..;. of the tube socket being ofcomplementary coir-'1;

formation," and the starter'-:switch* holder mounted upon a side wall of the adapterg r Int:

contradiction, if the starter switch :is to; be'dis-f posed in: parallelism withtrespect to' the. axis of theifiuorescent tube; theadapter may. be omittedi: and the starter switch holder is placed upon side and fastened directly to the bottom wall of the tube holder, the side of the.starteritswitchii holder and the bottom wall of thetube'holder' being of complementary conformation. In bo'th instances the other fluorescent tube-socket,' it

being obvious that two sockets are required, is}: mounted uponan adapter; In additionthe invention contemplates providing the adapters and" starter switch holder with apertures'so located as to'registerwith apertures inthe baseof the tube] socket, thus, wheneither an adapter or a starter switch holder'is employed to mount th tube holder, the same fastening 'eleme'nts' may be employed to complete the assembly.

The accompanying drawing ..illustrates one 1,'

practical embodiment of the invention. which will} bedescribed in .detail'to enable'others to,understand and use the samerbu'tth'e invention is not considereclrestricted to the specific-construction shown in the drawing and reference is therefore-Q had to the claims for summaries of theessentials? of the invention and of the-novel features of,

construction and of the novel combinations -.of'

parts for all of which protectionis desired.

As shown in the drawing:

Fig. l is .a side elevational view, partly in secf;

tion; illustrating one assembled form of the :in;-

vention'with the fluorescent tube sockets mounted upon'adapters and with the starter switchholder mounted upon a sidewall of oneof the adapters: the starter switch being disposed perpendicularly withrespect to the longitudinal axis of-the tube-r Fig. 2 is a side'elevational vicW,-partly.i-n sece tion-and somewhat similarto Fig. .1, illustrating; one of .thefiuorescent tubesockets mountedupon 3 a starter switch holder; theadapter'being omitted and. the. starter. switch bein disposed. inzgpa allelism with. respect to .the longitudinal 1 axis of thetub e;

Fig. 3 is a top planxview', ona slightly-'enlargedz-a -scale,zofithe starter-switchholder.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, also on a slightly enlarged scale, of one of the adapters.

As shown in the drawing, particular reference being had to Fig. 1 thereof, a fluorescent tube I is mounted or supported between a pair of tube sockets 3 in the usual manner and as is well known in this art, the end closures or caps 2 of the tube being provided with the usual contact members (not shown). Each tube holder is provided with an enlarged foot portion 01' base 5 and is mounted upon an adapter 6, the upper surface of the adapter and the lower surface of the base being of substantially identical dimensions and peripheral conformation. Suitable fastening elements 22 such as screws, bolts, or the like, extend through aligned apertures in the base 5 and adapter 6 for securing the tube sockets to the mounting plate or base 9 of the electrical fixture. As shown more particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the adapter is provided with apertures 2| for this purpose.

The starter switch holder l0, which has substantially identical exterior dimensions as the adapter 6, is secured to a side wall of the adapter by screws, or the like, extending through suitable apertures provided in the starter switch holder. In the form of assembly illustrated in Fig. 1, the starter switch holder is so positioned that the recess ll, intended for the reception of the starter switch l2, faces upwardly; thus, the starter switch is disposed perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fluorescent tube I.

In the type of electrical fixture thus described, the tube sockets 3 and adapters 6, one of which carries the starter switch holder 10 and starter switch, are mounted upon or secured to the base plate 9 beneath the reflector M, the latter being provided with opposed apertures 4 through which the fluorescent tube holders 3 project. Thus, the lowermost portions of the tube sockets, the adapters, starter switch holder, electrical wiring and ballast or choke coil l5, which is mounted upon the base plate 9 as indicated in dotted lines, are concealed from view. The reflector if further provided with an additional aperture l3 through which the starter switch [2 projects. Removal of the starter swtich or the replacement thereof, when necessary, is a particularly simple task since the switch is thus conveniently accessible.

In the form of electrical fixture illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the mounting plate or base 9 comprises the reflector and the several parts are mounted directly thereupon. As shown, the starter switch I2 is disposed in parallelism with respect to the longitudinal axis of the fluorescent tube, the starter switch holder It) being substituted for the adapter 6 employed when the starter switch is vertically disposed. The assembly of this form of the invention is particularly simple. I is positioned on a side thereof beneath the base of the tube socket, with the starter switch recess ll facing toward the opposed tube socket which is mounted in the usual manner upon an adapter 6. The exterior conformation of the side of the starter switch holder upon which the tube socket is mounted is substantially identical to that of the base 5 of the tube socket and the apertures l8 are in vertical alignment with the apertures in said base, the identical fastening. elements 22 previously described passing through said aligned apertures and securing tube socket and starter switch holder to the mounting plate or base of the fixture. Thus the The starter switch holder method of attaching the tube socket to the mounting plate is identical whether the socket be supported upon an adapter or a starter switch holder, these elements being selectively interchangeable in accordance with the type of mounting desired.

The starter switch I2 is mounted in its recess H in the following manner, as is customary in this art. The starter switch is provided on its lower surface with a pair of pins, contact members 8 being secured to the lower extremities of these pins. The bottom wall of the recess I l in the starter switch is provided with opposed apertures l6 communicating with reduced arouate slots l1 providing the usual bayonet type of locking connection. The contacts 8 are receivable within the apertures l6 and partial rotation of the starter switch positions the disc pins within the slots 11 to lock the starter switch in position with the disc 8 in engagement with suitable spring contact members (not shown). Preferably the sides of the starter switch holder are provided with recesses l9 and 2G and the adapter 6 is provided with a vertically disposed cavity or bore 1 for the reception of suitable electrical wiring.

The novel electrical fitting described herein comprises a fluorescent tube socket, an adapter, and a starter switch holder which may be'selectively and variably assembled with the starter switch disposed either vertically or horizontally, as may be desired, and without requiring any alteration in either the associated parts or the fastening means whereby the separable parts or elements are attached to the mounting base. In addition, if desired, the tube sockets may be secured directly to the mounting base with the adapters omitted and other starting means may be employed or a starter switch holder may be secured to the opposed side or surface of the mounting base, directly beneath and in alignment with one of the tube sockets.

It will be obvious to those skilled in this art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not considered limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A combined fluorescent tube socket and starter switch holder comprising separable members including a fluorescent tube socket, an adapter for supporting said socket, said adapter being provided with a bore for the reception of electrical connections, securing means for attaching said socket to said adapter, the socket and adapter being provided with aligned apertures for the reception of said securing means, and a starter switch holder, said starter switch holder being provided with spaced apertures for the reception of fastening means whereby said starter switch holder may be secured to one face of said adapter, the starter switch holder and adapter being of substantially identical exterior conformation whereby the starter switch holder may be supported in a plurality of positions by selectively employing the adapter to mount the fluorescent tube socket or substituting the starter switch holder for the adapter, the spaced apertures in the starter switch holder aligning with the apertures in the tube socket whereby the socket may be attached to the starter switch holder using said securing means.

2. A combined fluorescent tube socket and starter switch holder comprising separable members including a fluorescent tube socket, an adapter for mounting said socket, one face of said adapter being complementary to the lower face of the baseof said socket, said adapter being provided with a bore for the reception of electrical connections, securing means for attaching said socket to said adapter with said complementary faces in superposed relationship, the socket and adapter being provided with aligned apertures for the reception of said securing means, and a starter switch holder, said starter switch holder being provided with spaced apertures for the reception of fastening means whereby said starter switch holder may be secured to a face of said adapter, the starter switch holder and the adapter being of substantially identical exterior conformation whereby the starter switch holder may be supported in a plurality of positions by selectively employing the adapter to mount the fluorescent tube socket or substituting the starter switch holder for the adapter, the spaced apertures in said starter switch holder aligning with the apertures in the tube socket whereby the socket may be attached to the starter switch holder using said securing means.

3. A combined fluorescent tube socket and starter switch holder comprising separable members including a fluorescent tube socket provided with a rectangular base, a substantially rectangular adapter for mounting said fluorescent tube socket, one face of said adapter being complementary to the lower face of said rectangular base, said adapter being provided with a bore for the reception of electrical connections, securing means for attaching said socket to said adapter with said complementary faces in superposed relationship, the socket and adapter being provided with aligned apertures for the reception of said securing means, and a substantially rectangular starter switch holder, said starter switch holder being provided with spaced apertures for the reception of fastening means whereby the starter switch holder may be secured to a face of said adapter, the starter switch holder and the adapter being of substantially identical exterior conformation whereby the starter switch holder may be supported in a plurality of positions by selectively employing the adapter to mount the fluorescent tube socket or substituting the starter switch holder for the adapter, the spaced apertures in the starter switch holder aligning with the apertures in the tube socket whereby the socket may be attached to the starter switch holder using said securing means.

ERIK GUNNAR HOLM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,350,344 De Reamer June 6, 1944 2,363,734 Kulka Nov. 28, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 268,317 Sweden May 15, 1950 

